Numeric display



Oct. 3,

J. S. HELLEN NUMERIC DISPLAY Filed March 9, 1966 x x x illy WMA@ (T E@FIG JAMES S. HELLEN INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,344,544 NUMERIC DISPLAY James S.Hellen, Wayne, NJ., assigner to General Precision Inc., Little Falls,NJ., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 9, 1966, Ser. No. 533,052 7Claims. (Cl. 40-68) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE An alpha-numeric displaydevice comprising a mask with a plurality of peepholes therethroughhaving a selective arrangement, and a display member, which has steppeddisplacements relative to said mask and which has a surface whichunderlies said peepholes With a plurality of dots marked thereon andselectively arranged in a succession of groups representing numerals.

The present invention relates to an alpha-numeric display, andparticularly to a counter-type of alpha-numeric display havingoverlapping numerals.

A prior-art counter includes a support, a shaft mounted on said support,and a plurality of dials, which are coupled to said shaft with each dialhaving a series of spaced numerals marked thereon.

Such a prior-art counter is fully described in U.S. Patent No.3,189,273, which is assigned to the same assignee as in this invention.

One problem with said prior-art counter is that it is dicult to decreasethe size of the dial without decreasing the size of the numeral.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the size ofthe dial can be decreased without decreasing the size of the numeral bymarking a plurality of dots on said dial surface, which are disposed ina succession of selectively arranged groups representing a series ofoverlapping numerals, and by positioning a mask with selectivelyarranged peepholes in front of said dial through which only one numeralat a time is displayed whereby a series of successive numerals aredisplayed 'by advancing the dial in steps.

Accordingly, it is one object of the invention to provide analpha-numeric display, in which the ratio of de- Vice size toalpha-numeric character size is minimized.

It is another object of the invention to form a compact 360 anglecounter, in which the ratio of dial size to nu meral size is minimized.

To the fulfillment of these and other objects, the invention provides analpha-numeric display device comprising a mask with a plurality ofpeepholes therethrough having a selective arrangement, and a displaymember, which has stepped displacements relative to said mask and whichhas a surface which underlies said peepholes with a plurality of dotsmarked thereon and selectively arranged in a succession of groupsrepresenting numerals.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent upon reading thefollowing description and accompanying drawings, wherein like parts aredesignated by like numerals throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of an alpha-numeric display embodying featuresof the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional View taken along the line 3 3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a developed plan View of a portion of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view of portion A of FIGURE 1; and

Patented Oct. 3, 1967 FIGURE 6 is an enlarged View of portion B of FIG-URE 4.

Referring to FIGURE l, one embodiment of the present invention is analpha-numeric display counter 10. Counter 10, which is a 360n type ofcounter, includes a plurality of dials 12, an input shaft 14 on whichdials 12 are journaled, a viscous material 16 which is disposed betweendials 12 and shaft 14, a latch means 18 with a latch-actuating means 20for stepping said dials in a selective fashion, and a housing 22 whichsupports shaft 14 and latch means 18 therefrom.

Dials 12 include a first dial 24, which has 6 numerals thereon includingnumerals 00 to 50 inclusive, a second dial 26, which has 10 numeralsthereon including numerals 0 to 9 inclusive, and a third dial 30, whichhas 36 numerals thereon including numerals 00 to 35 inclusive. Dials 24,26, 30 are coaxial along a common axis of rotation 31. Dials 24, 26, 30have respective grooves 32, 34, 36 disposed on the outer side thereof,and respective bores 40, 42, 44 which are journaled on shaft 14. Dials24, 26, 30 also have respective ring portions 46, 50, 52, which haverespective apex portions (not shown).

Shaft 14 includes a pair of bearings 62, 64, which are journaled inhousing 22 at the ends thereof. Shaft 14 also has a plurality of annularrecesses 66, 70', 72, which face respective bores 40, `42, 44, `andwhich contain viscous material 16.

Viscous material 16 includes viscous portions 82, 84, 86, which arerespectively disposed in recesses 66, 70, 72.

Latch means 18 includes escapement latches 90, 92, 94 which haverespective prongs 96, 100, 102, that have respective fixed ends 104,106, and respective guided ends 112, 114, 116. Latch means 18 alsoincludes a guide bar 118 for engaging ends 112, 114, 116. Latches 92, 94are respectively engaged by actuators 46, 50. Shaft 14 also has anactuator disc portion 120, which has a bore portion 124 that is fixedlycoupled to shaft 14 by key 126. Disc has an apex portion (not shown),which engages latch 90.

Housing 22 includes a pair of opposite end walls 144, 146, a bottom wall150, and a top wall 152. Dials 24, 26, 30 also have respective radiallyouter surfaces 154, 156, 158.

The above described portions of counter 10 are more fully described inthe aforementioned U.S. Patent No. 3,189,273.

According to the invention, counter 10 includes a mask 160, which has aplurality of peepholes 162; and radially outer surface 158 has aplurality of dots 164, which are displayed through peepholes 162.

Mask 160 overlies surface 158. Said peepholes 162 extend through mask160 and have a selective arrangement for viewing surface 158. Dots 164are marked on surface 158 and are preferably identical in size and shapeand are selectively arranged in a succession of groups 166, 168, 170,172, 174, which represent numerals, whereby one numeral at a time in aseries of successive numerals is displayed through peepholes 162 duringthe stepped displacement of dial 30 relative to housing 22. Top wall 152also has a pair of windows 178, 180. Mask 160 is positioned bel-owwindow 178 and is disposed radially outwardly of surface 158.

Mask 160 should preferably have not less than 9 of said peepholes 162,that is, 3 horizontal rows containing 3 ea-ch and vertically spacedapart to forrn 3 vertical rows of 3 each. Peepholes 162 are preferablyarranged in 4 straight lines and form a closed loop 182, which has theshape of a slanted par-allelogram with an angle of tilt 184 relative tothe vertical, that is preferably not less than 15 thereby formingaslantedpnumeral character.

In one model of one embodiment of counter 10, each said group of dots166, 168, 170, 172, 174 measures A8 units high, where each unit is about0.100 inch. Group 166, which is typical, is overlapped by its rstsucceeding number group 168 by 5 units, and is overlapped by its secondsucceeding number group 170 by 2 units, and is spaced from its thirdsucceeding number group 172 by 1 unit. Surface 158 has 36 of saidgrooves 36, so that each stepped displacement of dial 30 measuress lessthan one-half the height of said numeral group 166.

In this way, surface 158 carries 36 numerals on its perimeter, while itpreviously carried only 12 spaced numerals. With this construction, theratio of the size of dial 30 to the size of numeral 166 is minimized.

Mask 160 has `an X-axis 186, which is disposed substantially parallel toa tanget to dial 30 along its line of travel, a Y-axis 188, which isdisposed substantially at right angles to X-axis 186, and a verticalZ-axis 190, which is disposed substantially at right angles to a planeincluding axes 186 and 188. Mask 160 also has an upper face 192 and alower face 194, which are axially spaced along axis 190. Lower face 194is separated from surface 158 by a gap 1956 that is preferably as smallas possible in thickness.

In said one model of said embodiment of counter 10, upper face 192 has ablack-colored, non-reflecting finish; and dots 164 also have ablack-colored, non-reflecting iinish. However, surface 158 has awhite-colored lightreflecting finish. In this way, surface 158 has whiteportions which form white dots in some of peepholes 162; and surface 158has black dots 164, which form black dots in the remaining peepholes162. Thus, black dots 164 blank out some portions of loop 182 and theremaining white peepholes 162 form the numeral.

In summari this invention provides an alpha-numeric display device inwhich the ratio of device size to alphanumeric character size isminimized; and provides a counter, in which the ratio of dial size tonumeral size is minimized.

While the present invention has been described in a preferredembodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications can be made therein within the scope of the invention. Forexample, dials 24, 26, 30 may be composed of a white translucentmaterial, and lights may be mounted on housing 22 for illuminatingnumeral dots 164. It is intended that the appended claims cover all suchmodifications.

What is claimed is:

1. An alpha-numeric display device comprising:

a mask with a plurality of peepholes extending therethrough having aselective arrangement; and

a cylindrical display member having stepped displace- -ments relative tosaid mask and having a surface which underlies said peepholes with aplurality of dots marked thereon and selectively arranged in asuccession of groups representing alpha-numeric characters, thearrangement of which as seen through the mask displays alpha-numericsymbols, each symbol being of such size as to subtend an arc of morethan 36 of the cylinder, each symbol being displayed through the mask inresponse to a movement of the display member a distance of less thanonehalf the size of each symbol;

whereby one numeral at a time in a series `of successive numerals isdisplayed in said peepholes,

2. A display device as claimed in claim 1, in which said mask has notless than 9 peepholes, which are arranged in 4 straight lines in aclosed loop having a shape of a slanted parallelogram.

3. A display device as claimed in claim 2, in which the parallelogramloop has an angle of tilt with the vertical measuring not less than 15.

4. A display device as claimed in claim 1, including a stator with anelongate axis on which said mask is mounted, and including a rotorcoaxial with said stator and rotatable relative thereto and integrallyconnected to said display member.

5. A display device as claimed in claim 1, in which said succession ofgroups of dots includes a third group of dots having a portion of itsdots disposed adjacent to first and second preceding groups of dots andhaving another portion disposed adjacent to fourth and fifth succeedinggroups of dots whereby its numeral overlaps two preceding numerals andis overlapped by two succeeding numerals.

6. A display device as claimed in claim 1, in which said mask has avertical Areference axis and has a pair of axially-spaced upper andlower end faces between which said peepholes extend, said lower facebeing separated from said display surface by a slight gap, and in whichsaid display surface has a line of travel substantially normal to saidreference axis.

7. A display device as claimed in claim 6, in which said upper face hasa relatively-dark non-reflecting nish, and in which said dots also havea relatively-dark nonreiiecting finish, and in which said displaysurface has portions surrounding said dots which have a relativelybrightlight-reflecting nish for ease of viewing said numerals.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,719,004 9/1955 Bliss 235-1172,829,833 4/1958 Carbonara 235-117 3,189,273 6/1965 Hellen 23S-1173,229,907 1/ 1966 Shatas et al. 235-117 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, PrimaryExaminer, L. R, FRANKLIN, Assistant Examiner.

1. AN ALPHA-NUMERIC DISPLAY DEVICE COMPRISING: A MASK WITH A PLURALITYOF PEEPHOLES EXTENDING THERETHROUGH HAVING A SELECTIVE ARRANGEMENT; ANDA CYLINDRICAL DISPLAY MEMBER HAVING STEPPED DISPLACEMENTS RELATIVE TOSAID MASK AND HAVING A SURFACE WHICH UNDERLIES SAID PEEPHOLES WITH APLURALITY OF DOTS MARKED THEREON AND SELECTIVELY ARRANGED IN ASUCCESSION OF GROUPS REPRESENTING ALPHA-NUMERIC CHARACTERS, THEARRANGEMENT OF WHICH AS SEEN THROUGH THE MASK DISPLAYS ALPHA-NUMERICSYMBOLS, EACH SYMBOL BEING OF SUCH SIZE AS TO SUBTEND AN ARC OF MORETHAN 36* OF THE CYLINDER, EACH SYMBOL BEING DISPLAYED THROUGH THE MASKIN RESPONSE TO A MOVEMENT OF THE DISPLAY MEMBER A DISTANCE OF LESS THANONEHALF THE SIZE OF EACH SYMBOL; WHEREBY ONE NUMERAL AT A TIME IN ASERIES OF SUCCESSIVE NUMERALS IS DISPLAYED IN SAID PEEPHOLES.